Hopper door operating mechanism



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Unite 2,888,882 norrnn noon ornnnrnso MECHANISM George B. Dorey, Westmount, QuebeqCanada, assignor to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of: Illinois Application August 2,1955, Seria1-No.'525,962 1t) (ilaims. (Cl. 105-250) nism'having a positive dead'center toggle acting locking mechanism employing a strut like element as one of the toggle'locking members; to provide a strutlike' element States Patent adapted'to be operated by a rotatable shaft andconnected with the latter through the medium of a link; to provide a strut-like latching element-having a seating face adapted to register-with a complementary seating face carried by a rotatable shaft; to provide a door latching mechanism including a strut pivoted at one end to a door and having its opposite end linked to a rotatably mounted hub for displacing-the strut and acting thereon at different distances from its pivotal'attachment with the door; and to provide a folding link construction-for operating a strut latching mechanism whereby an arm and link open and close in a jackknife manner to displace the strut.

The invention further resides in the means employed for attaching a latching strut to a door, in the structure associatedv therewith, and in the cooperation between themechanisms and bathe platesforsupporting the operating shafts.

For further comprehension of'the' invention reference maybe had to the accompanying drawingswherein' the improved mechanism is shown as 'appliedto thedoor of a railway ballasting car.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view ofa hopper: section of a railway ballasting car having the improved door operating mechanisms of this invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a vertical end view of the structure shown in Figure 1 as viewed from left to right and showing the worm and gear housing partly broken away;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the hopper and on a line corresponding substantially to line 3-3 of Figure 1 one door being shown in the open position and the other in closed position;

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2, as-seen on a lined-4 of Figure 2, andhaving certain parts broken'away to better illustrate the swivel nuts and the cooperation between said nuts and struts; and

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of a part of the hoppersection shown in Figure 3 showing the door. in partly open position and the parts of the mechanism as positioned prior to the stage where the seating face of the strut moves away from its seat on' the hub during theopening movement of the door.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the center sill .and 11 one of the'side walls of the car and interposed therebetween is a hopper-including sloping upper floor sections -12 and 13 respectively leading downwardly from the center sill 10 and car side wall H and which in cooperation with endsloping floors 14 constitute a four sided upper hopper section. The end floors 14 connect with lower transversely extending beam members or baffle plates 15 by means of angle members 15a which are connected to the members 15.

The sloping floors 12 and 13 are each reinforced at their lower ends by angle beam members 16'and secured thereto are hinge butts 17 'which in turn carry hinge pins 18 for pivotally supporting oppositely disposed swinging doors 19-19. In closed position the doors 19-19 form continuatlons of the upper floor sections 12 and 13 and together they provide a hopper having a \i-shaped cross section which extends parallel tothe center sill lii with-the ends'being closed'bythe end floors 14-14- and --by---the vertical beam-members 15 which extend at right angles to the center sill 16.

As shown in 'Figure'3 doors 19-19 are formed with an arcuately shaped'upper end 19a concentrically disposed with respect tothe axis of the door about hinge pins 18. The swinging end of each door is flanged at 20 and-these flanges abut a vertical wall section 21' of a diverting member 22 which is preferably disposed centrally above therail and includes walls 23 sloping downwardly and outwardly from the vertical wall section 21 a for directing lading away from the rail.

The'doors 19-19 are opened and closed through the medium of rotatable shafts 24--which extend parallel to and below the hinge axis-of'the respective door and are spaced laterally outwardly'from the respective door in the direction of itsopening-movement, said shafts being rotatably mounted in transverse beam members or baffie members 15-15 by means of a suitable bearing 26 at one end of each shaft and'at the opposite end. each 1 shaft 24 is mountedin a worm and gear housing '27. Each housing 27 encloses an operating gear '28 and cooperating worm gear 29.'- The worm gears 29 are operated by cross shafts as indicated in Figure 4 at--30 for the inner door mechanism and at 31' for the outer door. The said cross shafts are fitted with suitable operating heads as indicated at 32.

The description of the mechanisms proper of which a plurality maybe employed'for eachdoorwill be confined to one of such mechanisms inasmuch as the structure and operation for the various mechanisms are generally similar..

The mechanism, Figure 5, includes a hub 33 nonrotatably mounted: on the shaft24 and an integralarm 34 having a pair of jaws 35-35 between which is sandwiched a link 36 and pivotally united therewith at 37. The hub 33 includes an integral toggle arm 38 having a concave seat 39 circumferentially spaced from the pivot 37 which is arranged and adapted to receive an arcuate convex surface 48 of a stmtmember 41m lock the respective door 19 in closed position. The seating end of the strut memberv 41 is pivotally united with-the link 36 at 42. Theend of the strut member 41 connecting with link 36 includes spaced jaws 43-43, Figure '4, between which the link .36 extends. The end of the strut member 41 which connectslwith the door 19 is screwthreaded at 45 and co-acts with a complementary screw threadedswivel nut 46 having laterally extending trunnion portions 47-47. The trunnion portions47 are, rotatably mounted in bearings-as indicated at 48 and49,

the bearing 48 being preferably integrally formed with a hinge beamtmember 50. and bearing 49 being integrally formed with a bracket member 51. v

The member 50, Figure l, is preferably. formed of. a

casting havingtan enlarged hub section 52' at its upper.

end which constitutes a hinge for the door 19 and is apertured to receive the door hinge pin 18. The beam member 50 is extended towards the swinging edge of the door 19 as at 53, Figure 5, to form a support for a combined bafile and door reinforcing member 54. The bracket 51 is secured to the member 54 and to the door plate by rivets 55 and 56.

The arrangement of the pivoted swivel nut 46 thus allows for a wide range of pivotal movement of the strut member 41 and permits the latter to assume a position in the general direction of the door plate when the door is in fully closed position as indicated in Figure 1. The door beam 50 is offset sidewise, as indicated at 57, to permit accommodation of the strut member 41 at one side of the beam when the door is in fully opened position.

With the door 19 in closed position, Figure 3, the strut member 41 in combination with the toggle arm 38 operates as an overcenter toggle locking mechanism between the axis of the shaft 24 and the pivotal axis of the trunnions 47 of the swivel nut 46. The arcuately shaped surface 40 of the strut member 41 rests in the concave seat 39 of the toggle arm. The connection, as formed by strut member 41 and link 36, is prevented from knuckling to a fully extended position by reason of laterally extending lugs 5858 which engage with the jaws 43 of the strut member 41 when the latter is in over center position. The link 36 and strut member 41, being thus limited in opening movement, operate as a rigid bar between the hub 33 and the door 19 when the latter is closed. The pivot pins of link 36 thereby are relieved of bearing pressure.

The working of the mechanism may be best understood by following out the sequence of movements involved in a door opening and closing operation. Assuming the left door 19 is in closed position as seen in Figure 3 in which position the mechanism is in toggle locked position and the left door 19 is held in closed position through the medium of the strut members 41 and toggle arms 38 disposed in over center toggle locked relation, the door opening operation is as follows:

The operator rotates the operating head 32 and the cross shaft 30 turning the shaft 24 in a direction to break the toggle. The door 19 opens under the influence of the weight of the door and lading as the operator continues the rotation of its cross shaft. The weight of the door 19 and its lading forces the strut member 41 outwardly while the arcuately shaped surface 40 is retained in the concave seat 39 on the toggle arm 38 until such time as the link 36 makes contact with the body of the strut member 41 as seen in Figure 5. Upon further continued rotation of the shaft 24 in the indicated direction the control of the door opening is effected through the arm 34 acting on a lever arm of length 59 on an effective strut length as indicated at 60. The movement of the mechanism from the position shown in Figure to the fully opened position, as indicated by the right door 19 in Figure 3,.is accompanied by a a reversal of the movement of the link 36 which now unifolds from the hub 33 and allows the strut member 41 to ride above the shaft 24 thereby providing a Wide range of door opening movement.

Upon completion of the lading discharge, the door 19 gravitates to a vertical pendant position. Rotation of the shaft 24 in a reverse direction from that described in connection with the opening of the door returns the mechanism to the toggle locked position shown in Figure 3.

With the doors 19-19 in fully opened position, it will be noted that the mechanisms have moved upwardly above the shaft and are fully protected from the discharging lading and overflow of lading at the ends of the doors is prevented by the transverse beam members of battle plates 15. The mounting of the worm and gear operating arrangements outwardly of the beam members of baffle plates is conductive to safe and convenient operation 4 from locations beyond the ends of the doors and thus out of the path of the discharging lading.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the direction of opening movement of said door, a hub nonrotatably mounted on said shaft having a seat facing said door in closed position, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end engaging said seat when said door is closed, and connecting means pivotally mounting said other end of said strut on said hub.

2. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the direction of opening movement of said door, a hub non-rotatably mounted on said shaft having a seat facing said door in closed position, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end engaging said seat when said door is closed, said seat being located along a line through said pivot axis of said strut on said door and the axis of rotation of said shaft in the closed position of said door and said strut being compressively stressed, and stop means preventing further rotation of said shaft in a door closing direction.

3. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the direction of opening movement of said door, a hub nonrotatably mounted on said shaft having a circular arcuate concave seat facing said door in closed position, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end being circular and arcuate and convex and engaging said circular arcute concave seat when said door is closed, the center of curvature of said circular arcuate concave seat and of said circular arcuate convex end being located between the pivot axis of said strut on said door and the axis of rotation of said shaft and beyond a line joining the last mentioned axes when said shaft is rotated to the extent necessary to close said door, and stop means preventing further rotation of said shaft in a door closing direction.

4. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the direction of opening movement of said door, a hub non-rotatably mounted on said shaft having a seat facing said door in closed position, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end engaging said seat when said door is closed, and a link pivoted at one end to said hub and at the other end to said other end of said strut.

5. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the direction of opening movement of said door, a hub nonrotatably mounted on said shaft having a seat facing said door in closed position, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end engaging said seat when said door is closed, a link pivoted at one end to said hub and at the other end to said other end of said strut, the axis of the pivotal connection between said link and said strut in the closed position of said door being located between the pivot axis of said strut on said door and the axis of rotation of said shaft and beyond a line joining the last mentioned axes when said shaft is rotated to the extent necessary to close said door, and stop means preventing further rotation of said shaft in a door closing direction.

6. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the direction of opening movement of said door, a hub non-rotatably mounted on said shaft having a seat facing said door in closed position, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end engaging said seat when said door is closed, a link pivoted at one end to said hub and at the other end to said other end of said strut, the axis of the pivotal connection between said link and said strut in the closed position of said door being located between the pivot axis of said strut on said door and the axis of rotation of said shaft and beyond a line joining the last mentioned axes when said shaft is rotated to the extent necessary to close said door, and lug means on said link engaging said strut and preventing further rotation of said shaft in a door closing direction.

7. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the direction of opening movement of said door, a hub nonrotatably mounted on said shaft having a circular arcuate concave seat facing said door in closed position, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end being circular and arcuate and convex and engaging said circular arcuate concave seat when said door is closed, a link pivoted at one end to said hub and at the other end to said other end of said strut, the center of curvature of said circular arcuate concave seat and of the circular and arcuate and convex end of said strut being the axis of the pivotal connection between said link and said strut, said axis of the pivotal connection between said link and said strut in the closed position of said door being located between the pivot axis of said strut on said door and the axis of rotation of said shaft and beyond a line joining the last mentioned axes when said shaft is rotated to the extent necessary to close said door, and stop means preventing further rotation of said shaft in a door closing direction.

8. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the direction of opening movement of said door, a hub non-rotatably mounted on said shaft having a seat facing said door in closed position, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end including a pair of jaws engaging said seat when said door is closed, a link pivoted at one end to said hub and at the other end to and between said pair of jaws of said strut, the axis of the pivotal connection between said link and said stint in the closed position of said door being located between the pivot axis of said strut on said door and the axis of rotation of said shaft and beyond a line joining the last mentioned axes when said shaft is rotated to the extent necessary to close said door, and lug means on said link engaging said pair of jaws and preventing further rotation of said shaft in a door closing direction.

9. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the di rection of opening movement of said door, a hub nonrotatably mounted on said shaft having a seat facing said door in closed position and a radially extending arm, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end engaging said seat when said door is closed, a link pivoted at one end to said radially extending arm on said hub and at the other end to said other end of said strut, the axis of the pivotal connection between said link and said strut in the closed position of said door being located between the pivot axis of said strut on said door and the axis of rotation of said shaft and beyond a line joining the last mentioned axes when said shaft is rotated to the extent necessary to close said door, and stop means preventing further rotation of said shaft in a door closing direction.

10. In a railway car having a hopper With a discharge opening and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent the upper side of said opening and swingable downwardly to an open position, a shaft rotatably mounted on said hopper parallel to and below the hinge axis of said door and spaced laterally outwardly from said door in the direction of opening movement of said door, a hub nonrotatably mounted on said shaft having a circular arcuate concave seat facing said door in closed position, a strut pivoted at one end to said door with its other end being circular and arcuate and convex and engaging said circular arcuate concave seat when said door is closed, and a link pivoted at one end to said hub and at the other end to said other end of said strut, the center of curvature of said circular arcuate concave seat and of the circular arcuate convex end of said strut being the axis of the pivotal connection between said link and said strut.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 644,890 Bellows Mar. 6, 1900 812,783 Campbell Feb. 13, 1906 825,580 Campbell July 10, 1906 897,049 Atwood, et a1 Aug. 25, 1908 1,015,158 Eyth Ian. 16, 1912 1,022,516 Tessyman et a1 Apr. 9, 1912 1,028,116 Ingoldsby June 4, 1912 1,108,769 Lively Aug. 25, 1914 1,173,118 ONeill et a1. Feb. 22, 1916 1,290,572 Keithley Ian. 7, 1919 1,317,775 Campbell Oct. 7, 1919 1,342,089 Campbell June 1, 1920 1,418,402 Scott June 6, 1922 

